Understanding of Universe and Life – Samkhya Philosophy - 1
(http://www.omdasji.blogspot.in/2013/01/map-of-creation-samkhya-philosophy-flow.html refer to this chart)
(http://www.omdasji.blogspot.in/2013/01/map-of-creation-samkhya-philosophy-flow.html refer to this chart)
Who am I? Why am I born? What is the purpose of my life? Are eating, drinking, procreating, sleeping and working the goals of my life? Is life only about fulfilment of desires? What is mind? What are thoughts? How does my mind control me? What is ego? Why is there no peace in my life? Why am I beset by happiness and sorrows? Why is there no stability and balance in life? What happens at the time of death? What is soul? Who is the creator of this world? How does creation take place? What happens to me after death? How do we go back to our original form? Where is our ultimate home?
These questions and more run in our heads all our lives and are rarely answered. They are common to all mankind irrespective of nationality, religion, culture, caste, creed, race, gender or status. These questions have been asked by mankind since time immemorial. The great seers of India – the Rishis have uncovered the answers to these questions through intense observation and self enquiry. They formulated practices and disciplines, which when followed meticulously, give the answers to these questions. These answers are Universal Truths which manifest in our lives.
Working in the inner laboratories of the mind and self, the Rishis perceived the close relationship between man and the Universe. They could see the dance of the cosmic energy manifesting in all living and non-living things. They also realized that the source of all existence is interplay of the male and female energy - Shiva and Shakti. In the depths of their meditation they saw these two energies emerge from one source - the Cosmic Consciousness. The Rishis had a practical understanding of the Universal Truths which came from their understanding of Creation.
Rishi Kapila who studied and realized the various principles and elements of creation, formulated the Samkhya Philosophy of Creation. Samkhya come from two Sanskrit words -" Sat" meaning truth and "khya" meaning to know. The Bhagwad Gita and some Upanishads like the Svetasvatara Upanishad and other sacred scriptures deliver the Samkhya Philosophy with slight variations in the theme. Bhagwad Gita speaks of basic aspects of Samkhya but adds the principle of Supreme Self or the Universal Consciousness as the cause of all creation. The various elements in creation of Universe are:
• The Universal Consciousness or the Brahman
• The Purusha and Prakriti which evolve from the Brahman
• The Mahat or Superior Intelligence which comes from the union of Purusha and Prakriti
• From the Mahat flows the Ahmakara or ego
• From Ahamkara flows the three gunas – Satwa, Rajas and Tamas
• From Satwa emerge:
-the five sense faculties which are organs of cognition - ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose
-the five Motor organs which are organs of action - mouth, hands, feet, reproductive organs and excretory organs
-the Mind which is an organ of both action and cognition
• From the Tamas emerges:
-the five elements: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, Earth
and also:
-Sound - which is guna of Ether or Akash
-Touch- which is guna of Air or Vayu
-Sight- which is guna of Fire or Tejas
-Taste- which is guna of Water or Jala
-Smell - which is the guna of Earth or Pritvi
The Rishis started their observation at the level of the body and its functions, qualities and characteristics. As their understanding increased they were able to see the upward flow of creation and finally had the experience and understanding of Purusha & Prakriti and the Brahman. They teach us that we must start at the fundamental or basic level of the body and climb slowly upwards in our understanding and experience and reach the Brahman ultimately. We can see this link clearly in the Ashtanga Yoga teachings where we start with principles, ethics, body, breath, go inwards, focusing on one object, reaching meditative state and the Samadhi.
The greatness of Samkhya lies in the fact that the evolution of life on Earth is shown as a creative process passing through successive stages of change and transformation and not a miraculous sleight of hand of God or dramatic wave of a wand by the Cosmic Magician or by a mysterious scientific process that can never be postulated clearly but debated always and everywhere
Contd – Understanding of Universe and Life - 2
